Bistro Casa Azul

This place is 1000% amazing. Everything about it says come inside. From the art, to the smell of the food down the street. It does not disappoint. Go inside and enjoy the food , staff, and atmosphere.

Incredible restaurant! The food is amazing, the service is impeccable and the place is cozy and quiet. I have nothing negative to say about the place. Lou is a sweetheart and we ate the best tacos weve ever had (and weve spent considerable time in mexico) I wish I could give more stars

This is the best Mexican food I have had in a very long time … the best anywhere north of Texas for sure.The menu is diverse (with items you cannot find elsewhere like a Mexican take on ceviche). They also have a children’s menu and were so willing to accommodate our family’s requests. While all the food was amazing I want to highlight the salsa (they need to jar and sell it -it is the best) and the fresh homemade tortillas (both corn and flour). Everything is great but if you’re not sure what to order you can’t go wrong with the tacos - for the tortillas alone are incredible.The service was also incredible- the owner (maybe or manager?) was so welcoming and warm with us it took an amazing meal and made it even better.The restaurant itself has really cool ambiance with varied seating and spaces. It’s large and comfortable.

Celebrated my dad’s birthday here and we had such a good time! The food was amazing and the service so friendly. Can’t wait to visit again.

Excellent food, excellent people, and a great vibe. With all the options of quick Mexican food in the area, this place goes the opposite direction and slows things down for a wonderful and authentic Mexican fine dining experience. The owners are really down to earth and personable, and are truly passionate about what goes into the menu. This is my first choice of restaurant in the area for a night out or for a happy hour drink, and Im happy to say that Ive been going for years.

The service was excellent. We sat at the bar and ordered take-out. The owner made recommendations and one of the very best margaritas Ive ever had. We split the Filet Mignon Au Gratin and the Chicken Stuffed with Plantain..The food was absolutely delicious. High-quality ingredients at the hands of a chef who knows flavors and textures made each dish perfect. We also had black beans and saffron rice and sauteed vegetables. Everything was fresh, well-balanced and tasty. The atmosphere is cozy and pretty. I cant wait to come back.

Never disappoints. The food has always been top quality and cocktails have a hearty pour.It’s refreshing to have real margaritas and not wine based ones you find in the area.Their blood orange and watermelon are yummy.The patio is charming, and the inside as well.Maria and Lou are gracious hosts and always make everyone feel welcome.

Bistro Casa Azul has welcoming staff, beautiful space and delicious food - with plenty of filling options for vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians.It’s a great destination for everything from cocktail dates, group dinners to events / parties (through catering or by booking the restaurant).Always a pleasure to support this small, family-owned and family-run business as they provide warm hospitality and memorable meals!

The perfect spot for a great meal and a glass of wine! Ive enjoyed watching World Cup games, getting to know the vibrant East Harlem community, and, most importantly, savoring Marias incredible dishes, topped with her signature spicy sauce. ❤️ And while youre there, dont miss out on Lous freshly juiced, mouthwatering tequila margaritas!

Just wanted Spanish Harlem to know if you go 1 or 2 blocks in any direction you gonna find a lil hole in the wall spot that will blow your mind. Pleasant Ave, will be one of those blocks & Cafe Bistro Azul will be the spot. This husband/wife couple ran location is definitely pointed into Mexican cuisine. But old school great grandma gave grandma gave momma recipes. Ask for Lou the owner he will stop everything to greet you with open arms and welcome you to his home. And Im pretty sure wife Maria will come out from the back, shes the cook! Just to make sure your taste buds have been satisfied. Keep up the beyond amazing job you two. And come down, bring the doggies, they have outside area as well. And by the way Im not a fan of reviews, and yet this is something I felt needed to be said. Enjoy.

Love Bistro Casa Azul!!! Best food around!! I wish I lived closer but always amazing when I can take the trip from LI. 😋

The food was amazing. Very small intimate place with excellent service. Only one issue ~ hot sauce is not hot!

Walked all the way over here for them to be closed despite the restaurant time saying 12-10pm, very disappointed. Do not recommend, it’s currently 12:24pm smh

Oh wow! Love this place. Gourmet healthy Mexican cooking at its finest! Chef Maria did such a great job with the our meal. The poblano pepper is to die for, made with daily fresh vegetables, really unlike the typical poblano you will find, stuffed with cheese and fried. The chef special salad is delicately seasoned with nuances pls or and made with the freshest greens. The desert flan was expertly made. Service from the friendly staff is outstanding and the atmosphere of the restaurant is super cute and quite upscale, suitable for family gatherings and date nights. Oh and there is a beautiful backyard, allowing the restaurant to entertain large parties. Truly a gem in East Harlem.

This place is phenomenal! Makes you feel at home and cozy! The food is amazing and the service is splendid. I love that the owners handle things personally, makes it a real experience worth coming. Highly recommend!

What a fantastic restaurant! Food and service are incredible. The atmosphere is impeccable; cozy & quiet. The tacos were AMAZING.

Havent been in a while but the memories last a lifetime😆Great people! Great service! Great food! Always feels like home.

My husband and I have loved this place since it opened. Really fresh, high quality ingredients and authentic recipes. Delicious wines, beers and cocktails. Cozy atmosphere, with friendly owners. A hidden gem.

Our school partnered with Lou to organize a staff HH at Casa Azul. Before the event, Lou invited us to taste a few items on the menu and some cocktails. DELICIOUS! The guacamonica was one of the best guacamole we have eaten. Tacos were authentic and fresh, the table’s favorite was the chorizo. On the day of event, we were treated like family, and we felt like family. We had the whole place to ourselves - beautifully charming place btw, but we used the backyard, mostly. The back yard was clean with beautiful patio decor (my favorite decor piece was the wood antique-looking divider). There is an amazing painting back there too. The taquitos dorados were my favorite on the day of event. Lou made our drinks. I had a rum punch and was feeling nice after one. The hospitality was superb. Again, we felt like we were having a family gathering in our family member’s home. We were treated with care. Our comfort and satisfaction was their priority. Will definitely partner with Lou again in the future. Thank you! Maria, you’re awesome!Love, East Middle

Bristo Casa Azul is a must try if you are in East Harlem, Manhattan, or anywhere in the 5 boroughs make the trip!! They are our go to after big races and never disappoint! The owners are the nicest people and value our community and the food is amazing! The guacamole and fresh chips are a must and the TACOOOOHHS are the best! My favorite, ALL of them! Everything is made fresh and is absolutely delicious! It’s so good even our toddler approves! So make the trip to East Harlem and bring your appetite!

Delicious!! Yum! Get everything, even though I haven’t tried it all, I bet it’s all great! I had grilled shrimp (gamba alajillo) and the special and the ceviche and the margaritas were sublime!

The food and cocktails were amazing. Service was amazing. Its a nice little hidden gem. I want to give it another try when outdoor seating isnt mandatory.

Amazing. Friendly. Affordable. Delicious. A perfect night for a special occasion or a good time with friends. Quality Mex Food lovingly prepared to order. Bright and lively flavors and unbeatable portions. Save room for the best, very best Flan. 🤗🤗🤗

Such a lovely place!! They have amazing food and the owners are so kind and generous!! Cant wait to go back....it feels like youre at a friends house! Dont wait, go check it out!

Plant-filled oasis out back and fun vibe inside as well. Owners are super sweet! The bacon is ridiculous and the spicy mango treat was sooo good! Well definitely be back.

Sorry I didnt take a flic. But Chef Maria whipped up some chicken tinga tacos and carnitas tacos that was exquisite to the palate. The vegetales de temporada salteados was fresh with a lot of flavor. This place should be packed every day because the food and service is too notch

Bistro Casa Azul is a great restaurant and bar in East Harlem. The food is wonderful, and Lou and Maria are always welcoming and accommodating. This is a small but comfortable location. I try to visit Bistro Casa Azul whenever I am in New York.

WOW - my partner and I ate here today and I can’t stop thinking about this meal. We were in East Harlem doing some furniture shopping when we got hungry. We’re not super familiar with the neighborhood so we almost took the train elsewhere and I am SO glad that we didn’t. That was truly the best margarita I have ever had and I’ve had plenty, and it was the best guac I’ve ever eaten before as well. The fish tacos were SO good. Service was awesome, I’m sorry for not getting your names but just know that you made our day!! I can’t wait to come back and bring friends, such an awesome and perfectly decorated space and you can just tell the food is made with love.

Great place to eat great food great environment highly recommend to everyone.

My favorite spot in East Harlem/El Barrio. María makes DELICIOUS food- from her guacamole to her tacos to amazing brunch options. And Lou always has the perfect drink to accompany whatever you order. The environment feels like home from the first time you walk in, a true community/ local spot that you keep wanting to come back to.

Amazing margaritas. Authentic family recipes, fresh ingredients, excellent food and great atmosphere. Cant wait to go back. A quick trip from the UES.

Great place! Good food, good drinks, great people. Love the atmosphere and the owners are amazing!!!

Choosing to have that medium rare ribeye @ 1 is probably the best decision I’ve made all day hands-down. I will be coming back for the New York strip next

We love their foods because it was delectable and mouthwatering. It really was destined. From the presentations to the taste, all their food was beautiful.

Completely satisfied can’t complain will be back !!

Welcoming owner and a nicely covered outdoor space provides a great atmosphere. My impromptu visit found nicely favored strong French press coffee and delicious veggie tacos. They were super accommodating and I’ll definitely look forward to coming back!

We love going to the Bistro. The family that owns the place is a hoot and so sweet. The food is absolutely delicious. We are regulars for life!

This is such a great tucked in place, small family owned and the attention they gave to each table was great. Def coming back to try the other items on the menu

Delicious Mexican Latin food with fantastic service . When I went we ate outside on a sunny day was a great time. Definitely a great date spot or special day spot!

Food was great, best beans ever. Excellent choice of tequila. Owners were very attentive. Will be back

The service was fantastic, the owners are great, and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. It has a warm and convivial atmosphere.

Terrible service. Would not recommend at all. Incompetent staff that drank on the job instead of waiting on customersGroup of 5 sat outside. We ordered a round of margaritas and they were good. It was about 6:20pm on a Saturday, and we asked if we could order food. They said the kitchen was not open but would open around 6pm - we said it was 6:20pm and they said it would actually open at 6:45pm. We decided to wait because the drinks were good so we figured the food would be as well.We asked after 1 round of drinks if the kitchen was open, he said just for chips, salsa, and guac. We ordered some of that and ate it happily. After sitting there for over an hour with no word from the waiter that the kitchen was open for dinner (the waiter was sitting on the table outside next to ours drinking a cocktail, not bothering to come and refill our chips), we decided to grab tacos from a nearby restaurant and bring it to our outside table.Only after we ordered tacos from another takeout spot did the waiter finally come and tell us the dinner menu was open - note that it was past 7:30pm on a Saturday and we had asked twice already if we could order dinner.He said we arent allowed to have outside food and made it very awkward, stating that it is hard to run a small business and that is why we werent allowed to bring outside food in. I responded that we had been ordering multiple rounds of drinks for over an hour supporting their business, only getting other food because the dinner menu was not being served.The waiter was incredibly rude, saying that we were messy and making him clean up after food that was not their restaurants food and he even resorted to asking me questions like what I did for work i.e insulting my character and implying that I have no idea what it would be like to struggle or run a small business. I wish I had responded you let us sit here for over an hour with no dinner service, and if you had let us stay here and eat our takeout we would have ordered many more rounds.Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Terrible service, rude staff, and a haughty taughty vibe even though it was completely empty besides us.P.S. two other weird things:- We asked for a chip refill and with our salsa and he said well, youre going to have to pay for it you know in a condescending tone (we would have been happy to pay and we assumed we would have to, but the tone was unnecessary)- The bathroom had a sliding door and after I went the waiter asked me to please close the bathroom door after going to the restroom because it would disrupt the vibe of the restaurant (there was no one inside, literally 0 customers besides us)

Lou is the best. Had wine and it was the best ever. Im looking forward to those Tasty tacos 🌮. From Julio Luna

Awesome food, Awesome service, great atmosphere! A must try one of my favorite places!

Lou and Maria are amazing, the food and drinks never disappoint. All around great neighborhood spot

Excellent service! The food was Delicious . The ambience and music was the cherry on top. Will definitely be visiting again.

Just perfect amazing everything was great no complaints on my end

Great Margaritas and brunch !! Please get the Poblano Paisano stuffed pepper ... Also if you ask nicely you may be able to choose between Santana and Led Zeppelin tunes...Saturday is Paella night, call ahead to reserve.A classic food item is the Poblano with meatballs. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu. Cash only.Ask Lou to make his Margaritas.

So I’m here to say I love to leave a review on my experience but Bistro Casa Azul is amazing and it deserves more then just this review I here to say food 100% drinks, service, Decor, it’s all worthy and it’s welcoming things alot of places to Dine-in lack these days I had a wonderful time I will be back !!!!

DO NOT!!! GO HERE!!! I have lived and worked in the area for over 20 years and Ive visited many if not all the local places and this place stands alone in how horrible an experience I had with my fellow co-workers. $800 got us a FEW, I must repeat, a FEW appetizers and 5 out of the 15 people got open bar. The bartender was rude and ill tempered from the beginning. The female waitress was even ruder than the bartender. $800 didnt include the seating at the place. The food was some of the most unflavored Mexican food Ive ever had. Theres tons of better food, service, and prices right on the little Mexico strip of 116th from 1st Ave to Lexington. The bad food and lack of food could have been tolerable but not them denying us seating and providing the worst service Ive experienced in my adult life in a restaurant. Poor customer service is a huge no-no for me. Ive walked past this place many times and at many hours and Ive never seen it full or close to it. For what we were given, we were scammed out of $800. I would never go back even if the food was free, WAY too many better places right around the corner. 0 stars needs to be a thing because nothing was done right. Lastly we were made to wait in the rain for 30mins while they got ready when the place was completely empty, worst customer service known to this man.

Excellent customer service 😊

Loved this place. You can tell they are very experienced and take pride in their restaurant and community. My husband and I ventured there after going to Costco nearby and so glad we went. Especially loved the fresh juices and fish tacos. ⭐️

Went to this location yesterday for my company’s holiday party. When I tell you this place was a disaster from start to finish. I stayed for an hour hoping this would get better but man it never did and I decided it be best to leave then lose my mind towards the owners who provided us a terrible experience. Firstly, we had a party of 15 people and were offered two packages one being $40 which included buffet style meals the options of food were -GuacaMonica and fresh Tortilla Chips, meatballs in Salsa Chipotles, Flautas Doradas de Pollo, Fajitas de Pollo con tortillas y Arroz Azafran. Sounds good right? At least that’s what I thought. Then the second package being $80 which allowed you to part take in the buffet style meal and also open bar for 2 hours. Still sounds good right? Well it turned out this was a disaster. Firstly this buffet style meal was a total rip off!!! These items were offered in miniature size … they weren’t even things you could make a meal out of they were appetizers. Which was never told to us. For 15 people the amount of “appetizers” was not enough. They put 2-3 bowls of meat balls now the size of the bowls were small. These bowls they put out combined wouldn’t have even filled a small metal tray that you would use when you make food for events. So that’s to tell you how much food they actually gave for 15 ADULT People. The chicken fajitas were not served with any tortillas or rice as they advertised to us. We just got fajita meat and again similar to spicy meat balls small bowls. Not even a full small tray which was crazy! The flautas were miniature size and similar to everything else. I think what they gave wouldn’t have even been half of a small tray. And guaca and chips again small portions. 4 small bowls not even cereal size bowls of guacamole with chips. For the amount of money we spent. For what it cost them to make the food they served us and what we paid. We were definitely robbed. And on top of that we weren’t supposed to even sit down. They expected us to stand because the owner Maria when I asked her where I can sit she said that this is a mingle party you don’t sit. You grab some appetizers and walk and mingle. Why in god name would I go somewhere to stand for two hours. And eat standing. That is sooo ghetto, when my coworker who planned the event with the owners asked Maria about the rice and tortillas, because they never served us this. Maria gave the response if that was included you would have saw it on the table. When in email and text changes this was what was said and promised to us. So they don’t even follow what they promise and then they have the audacity to give you attitude when you ask about why are things not there. Totally unprofessional, also another thing a week prior to our event they tried to raise our prices. How professional is that. That’s not how any establishment should do business. My company has been in the area almost 15 years so we are very big on eating at local establishments to support businesses in our area. But this was a terrible evening. I left paying $40 and did not have even an actual plate of food. I left hungry disappointed and upset. I will never come back to eat at this place. I would never ever recommend this place. This place should be ashamed of themselves at how they treat customers and how they behave with their nasty and snotty comments towards us. Please save yourself the headache and stomach pains.

This was a cute place and since it was empty, we had the server to ourselves. That being said, Im still very confused at how this place has 4.8 stars. I dont think they get much business during the week and perhaps the reviews are got their weekend brunch. Again, when I showed up on a weeknight for dinner, it was completely empty. We ordered appetizers and it was taking a long time. While we were waiting, an employee walked in and went to the kitchen. About 20 minutes later, our food was ready. That is to say: they appear to be so slow during the week, they didnt even have the kitchen staff show up until customers put in an order.I was excited about their guamonica, but was not able to try it, as they informed me they didnt have avocados. Ive never been to a Mexican restaurant in my entire lifetime as a 30+ year old Native New Yorker where they didnt stock a key ingredient.Sadly, the food also did not have much flavor. I was and remain very surprised this has 4.8 stars.

Great staff friendly environment awesome food beware kinda spicy

Spectacular brunch and late night hang out spot. Great cocktails and delicious food! If you’re in the area, you must check this place out! 10/10!

Love this place, real authentic Mexican food, I am a fan already.

We have been loyal customers for a few years now. Maria and Lou are wonderful hosts and the food does not disappoint. There are many delicious entrées to choose from but their specials are always on point.Lou makes the best margaritas. The restaurant’s decor, accentuating Frieda Kahlo is really lovely, warm and inviting. We both had our 60th birthday parties there and Lou and Maria did accommodate us and make us feel like Family. It is a lovely neighborhood spot to meet locals and interact with East Harlem residents.

Delicious food. Great hospitality - Lou and Maria are wonderfully warm and welcoming. We shall return.

Their food and hospitality is excellent dont take my word for it come by checking out yourself

Best shrimp tacos! So fresh. Excellent service. The best local joint. Owner and wife are such nice people! Food has me hooked, but service keeps me coming back!

I had the most delicious and impossibly fresh salmon special with red berries. It was beyond delicious and such a surprising combination! I wish more people knew about this hidden gem. The service was impeccable, warm, friendly, great tequila options, everything you could want. cant wait to go back. great for groups!

Ambience, attitude, quality of food, drink concoctions, BEST I HAVE EPERIENCED IN A LONG, LONG TIME !

After leaving Target, I found this gem accidentally. This place is amazing! The customer service is excellent, and the food is delicious. I absolutely loved everything I ordered, including the desserts. I definitely will return here with my family. So happy to have found this great bistro. The chocolate cake is to die for. And the steak tacos are incredible.

Excellent food and even better drinks!! no shakey shakey!!!

Great tacos & cocktails! I love the atmosphere which felt cozy, welcoming, and laid-back. The customer service was great as well. They are “cash only”, so please be aware of that or call ahead as it’s not listed on Google. Would 10/10 recommend this hidden gem :)

Honestly what a treat to find this place, excellent food and drink. Service went above and beyond for 2 stranded Europeans making a very stressful experience less so and fuelling us as we searched for accommodation as our air bnb let us down

Extremely welcoming owner and chef. We really enjoyed our meal especially the chicken tinga. So proud to have this restaurant in our neighborhood ❤️

Food is delicious ❤️Great Hospitality 💖

This restaurant really is a gem. The quality and freshness of ingredients, careful preparation of dishes and exciting combinations of flavors makes everything Ive tasted absolutely delicious. The space for dining in is comfortable and quiet and the service is excellent. I strongly recommend this restaurant.

Amazing spot! New gem in the neighborhood!!! Love the owners!

First time coming to this place. Doesn’t feel so much as a Mexican spot as it does an American Bistro, but I will say that the Filet Mignon was amazing and cooked perfectly to our desired temperatures. I’ll definitely be coming back here every once in a while if I’m near Harlem.

This is one of the most treasured dining experiences you can have in Harlem, period.

Great margaritas and beautifully presented tostadas!

Bistro Casa Azul is a nice neighborhood restaurant that I stumbled upon because on their Google page it says they have an hour happy which they do not have an happy hour. There were two people working and they were mildly attentive, I dont think it was intentional it was more of a lack of customer service experience.For example, water was never giving during the entire dinning experience. After ordering margaritas it took over 15 minutes to receive them.Regarding food, order the ceviche, shrimp tacos, and chicken tacos. The ceviche was small and non-traditional being served with whole shrimp, the flavor was underwhelming. The tacos were a good portion and saved the meal. The chicken taco was one of the best tacos Ive had in NYC/Texas or California.Overall the experience was okay, but the problem here are easy fixes and I would return to give the restaurant another try because the couple next to me raved about the meatballs.

Came in for a cocktail at the bar with friends. Treated extremely well overall at a real neighborhood spot. The drink special we all had was delicious and strong. They also have a curated wine selection.

Everything on the menu is amazing!! What an absolutely delight. Ive been there many times and the food never disappoints.

I love this place me and my daughter come here often food is delicious drinks are amazing and I feel so welcomed her I love love this place.

Love this local spot! never disappointed ❤️

The food and drinks are equally amazing here and the service is outstanding. The owners are very pleasant and personally make sure everything is perfect.

Most of the food is thoughtfully prepared and delicious. Try the fruit juices - the blood orange juice was clearly fresh-squeezed. I would love to rate this place five stars. Unfortunately the medium rare filet mignon I ordered was served well-done and appeared to be some other cut of meat, despite the off-menu upcharge. I may go again but avoid the filet.

Excellent food and wine. Service is outstanding. I cant wait to come back.

Long wait (one hour) on a weekend for tacos and salad. Tacos were cold. Disappointed place seems cool.

Food was amazing and the couple who owns the restaurant is really friendly and welcoming. They have great happy hour deals and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

Authentic Spanish harlem restaurant not to be missed.Luis offers you very good wines to accompany Marias fantastic Mexican cuisine.Dont leave without tasting its fabulous tacos!

Small cozy place. Good drinks and food. Lovely husband and wife team.

Fantastic food and such a welcoming atmosphere. Love seeing that they have Vikera Tequila!

Amazingly consistent and always fresh. Best food around for sure!

What a lovely, lovely restaurant. Ill definitely be returning.

Very well decorated,,, n the garden s beautiful..... Small place, just perfect for a date!!!

The owners are fantastic people and the food is damn good.

Very nice staffFood was very tastyMimosa well madeGood ambienceWish them success

Beautiful ambiance the food wonderfully tastey and in the company of the best of sisterhood

Came in for brunch and had the huevos rancheros which were fantastic! great flan as well and the service was super friendly

Excellent food and service

Charming hosts, great atmosphere, delicious food, decent prices. What more could you want?

Margaritas were fire. Gem of east Harlem!

The food was good.

Amazing food and awesome staff

Great food, nice owner, great location

Ive been calling for an hour🥴

Margaritas are wonderful

Nice

Great place to eat

Food was delicious,

The best tacos

Great place 👌

Maria is very professional, the place is really beautiful and the margaritas are incredible!

Everything is fresh, the managers are attentive to your needs. Thanks to Maria for her Mexican cuisine.

How enchanted... good food, good attention and good background music...

A very nice and elegant place, the owners are very attentive, everything is like I came in as a family.

Create food & service!